Liquid supply system for a weeping doll



June 2, 1959 R. KAPLAN LIQUID SUPPLY sysm: FOR A wssnuc oou.

Filed Aug. 14, 1958 FIG. 2

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United States Patent Ofilice 2,888,777 Patented June 2, 1959 LIQUID SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR A WEEPING DOLL Ruth Kaplan, New York, N.Y.

Application August 14, 1958, Serial No. 754,976

4 Claims. (Cl. 46-135) The present invention relates to weeping dolls, and particularly to weeping dolls of the type in which a compressible fluid reservoir is disposed in a flexible doll torso and is connected to the doll mouth for fluid inlet and to the doll eyes for fluid outlet, in controlled amounts, to simulate tears.

In dolls of the character described, the discharge of tears through the eyes is effected through the compression of the doll torso which, in turn, compresses the fluid reservoir and forces the liquid, through suitable conduits connecting the reservoir with each eye, or into and through the eye sockets. Such arrangement requires a check valve in the conduit between the liquid inlet and the reservoir to prevent the backflow of liquid through the inlet upon compression of the reservoir.

Heretofore, the production of the tearing mechanism, particularly the flow-effecting and controlling mechanism which initiates and limits the flow of liquid through the eyes and prevents the backflow of the fluid through the fluid inlet. has been of a complicated and costly character, relatively diflicult and time-consuming and costly to produce, and equally diflicult and time-consuming to assemble.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a tearing system for a doll of the character described which is of relatively simple construction, consisting of a minimum number of parts that may be easily and economically produced and may be easily and economically assembled and installed in a doll.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a fluid supplying and controlling mechanism for a doll of the character described which, despite its simplicity and economy, is highly eflicient and eflective for its purpose.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fluid supplying and controlling mechanism for a weeping doll of the character described, which is also strong and durable and capable of repeated use.

The foregoing objects and advantages of the fluid supply and control mechanism of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing, and from the description following. It is to be understood, however, that such embodiment is shown by way of illustration only, to make the prin ciples and practice of the invention more readily comprehensible, and without any intent of limiting the invention to the specific details therein shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a sectional, partly elevational view of a doll having the tearing supply and control mechanism of the present invention installed therein;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, top perspecti e view of the upper end portion of the fluid reservoir and its connecting means of the present invention; and

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Generally stated, the invention consists in the provision of a fluid supply consisting of a flexible, open-ended reservoir which is secured to a one-piece closure that is formed with integral nipples for conduits for connecting the same to the doll eyes and for a conduit for connecting the same to the liquid inlet in the doll mouth, with the latter integral nipple serving also as a check valve housing.

More specifically stated, the present invention utilizes a soft, flexible, approximately balloon-shaped reservoir, 10, which may be formed, as by dipping, from latex or its synthetic substitute, in a manner well known in the balloon or like arts, and has an open end defined by a neck, 12.

The reservoir 10 is provided with a one-piece closure, generally designated as 14, consisting of a top wall, 16, having a peripheral flange, 18, set at right angles thereto, and integrally formed nipples extending therefrom, preferably in a direction opposite to the direction of the flange 18. Such nipples may preferably be of generally cylindrical shape and may comprise a larger nipple, 20, adapted to serve as a fluid inlet, and a pair of smaller nipples, 22, adapted to serve as a fluid outlet. The nipple 20 is connectible, as by a conduit, 24, to the mouth opening, 26, of the doll head, 28, and each of the outlet nipples 22 is connectible by a conduit, 30, to the doll eyes, 32, or to the sockets, 34, in which they are held.

The nipple 20 may also comprise a check valve that will inhibit the return flow of fluid therethrough upon compression of the reservoir 10. For that purpose, the outlet end of nipple 20 may be inwardly swaged to provide a reduced outlet opening, 36, and crimps, 38, may be formed in the wall of the nipple 20, in spaced relation to the outlet end thereof, to thereby provide a valve chamber, 40, in which is housed the valve ball or sphere, 42, which, upon compression of the reservoir 10, is forced upwardly into the reduced end of the nipple 20 to seal the outlet 36.

Where desired or necessary, as where no other means are provided in the tear producing system of the doll for restricting or limiting the flow of fluid to the eye, upon compression of the reservoir, the outlet ends of the nipples 22 may likewise be inwardly swaged, to provide reduced openings, 44, which limit the outflow of fluid therethrough to an amount that will not be excessive and will be consonant with eye-tearing.

It may here be stated that the closure 14 may be formed from sheet metal, by the stamping or drawing process, or from a suitable plastic, by the molding process.

It may here also be stated that the reservoir 10 and closure 14 may be associated by elastically engaging the neck 12 of the former over the flange 18 of the latter, with or without the use of a cement, as may be desired or necessary.

This completes the description of the fluid-supply mechanism for a weeping doll made according to the present invention. It will be readily apparent that such mechanism is of greatly simplified construction, consisting of an absolute minimum number of parts, each of which may be economically produced by mass production methods and may be quickly and easily assembled with the other. It will also be apparent that the fluid supply mechanism of the present invention is highly suitable and effective for its purposes, being capable of easy and ready filling and of ready and convenient discharge of its contents, in limited streams, to the eyes only.

It will also be readily apparent that numerous modifications and variations in the tearing doll fluid supply mechanism of the present invention may be made by anyone skilled in the art, in accordance with the principles of the invention hereinabove set forth, and without the exercise of any inventive ingenuity. I desire, therefore, to be protected for any and all such modifications and variations that may be made within the spirit of the present invention and the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

1. In a weeping doll having a flexible torso, a head having eyes and sockets therefor, and an open mouth, means for storing fluid in said torso and for supplying the same to said eyes and sockets upon compression of the said flexible torso, comprising a flexible, elastic reser voir having an opening formed therein and a closure for said opening, said closure comprising a flat body, having an integral, peripheral flange adapted to fit snugly within said opening of reservoir, said flat body having integrally formed tubular nipples projecting therefrom, one of said nipples being of relatively greater cross section and adapted to receive a conduit connectible to said open mouth, said nipple having an inwardly swaged outer end and having crimps formed in the wall thereof, in spaced relation to said outer end thereof, and a sphere retained within the nipple portion between said crimps and said end, said nipple portion and said sphere forming a check valve for inhibiting the outward flow oTfluid from said reservoir through said nipple, a pair of the other of said nipples being of relatively lesser diameter and each connectible by a conduit to one of said eye and socket elements.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said reservoir opening is formed with a neck portion fitting on said flange.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein said nipples extend in a direction opposite to said flange.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein said last-named pair of nipples are each formed with a restricted outlet adapted to limit the stream of Water discharged therethrough upon compression of said torso and said reservoir.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Gilbraith Apr. 9, 1940 2,812,615 Zanca et a1. Nov. 12, 1957 

